9. Luke 11:4a 18. See 2 Corinthians 7:9-11.
Q. 30. Can they fall from grace?
O make me all like thee, 'Acpaled sabaia nck R q da : y can.
Reason and experience put this Before I hence remove! b ATR R CN RSET: h ; eyond dispute.
Previously we thoug at one who was Settle, confirm, and stablish me, ; e :
: saved from sin could not fall. But now we know this is Aad eee op Jn Jove. not true. We are surrounded with examples of those who 'Let me thy witness live, recently experienced all that I mean by perfection. They
When sin is all destroyed; had both the fruit and the witness of the Spirit. But now
"And then my spotless soul receive, they have lost both. No one may ever expect to stand by id take me home to God. virtue of anything implied in the nature of Christian perSeen ees fection. There is no height or strength of holiness from Collection, #424, stanzas 9-10 which it is impossible to fall. If there are any who cannot fall, this depends completely upon the promise of God.
Q. 31. Can those who fall from this state recover it?
A. Why not? We have many instances of this also. Indeed, it is very common for people to lose it more than once before they are established in it.
O God of peace and pardoning love It is therefore to protect the ones who are saved from Whose bowels of compassion move sin and from every occasion of stumbling that I give the To every sinful child of man, following words of advice. But first I will speak plainly
Jesus, our Shepherd, great and good, about the work itself.
Who dying bought us with his blood, I consider this ongoing work to be of God and probaThou hast brought back to life again. bly the greatest now upon earth. Yet like all others, this
His blood to all our souls apply work is also mixed with much human frailty. But these
(His blood alone can sanctify weaknesses are far less than might have been expected,
Which first did for our sins atone): and ought to have been joyfully carried by all those who The cov'nant of redemption seal, loved and followed after righteousness. That there have
The depth of love, of God, reveal, been a few weak, excitable people is no dishonor to the And speak us perfected in one. work itself. Such behavior is no just ground for accusing ig $406, scaiea 1 a multitude of sober-minded people who are patterns of strict holiness. Yet the opposition is great and the helps are few. This is exactly the opposite of what should have been. By this means, many are prevented from seeking faith and holiness by the false zeal of others. Some who at first began to run well are misled.
Endnotes 1. See Matthew 22:37, 39.
10. 1 John 4:13, NRSV 2. See 1 Corinthians 13.
11. 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18 3. See James 3:2.
12. See Romans 8:38-39.
4. 1 John 2:20
13. Hebrews 3:14
5. John 8:12; 9:5; 11:9
- 14. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NRSV 6. 1 John 3:4
15. Matthew 20:15, NRSV 7. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 16. See Ephesians 1:13.
8. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 17. Hebrews 6:11
9. Luke 11:4a 18. See 2 Corinthians 7:9-11.
Q. 32. What is the first advice that you would give them?
A. Beware of and pray constantly against pride. If God has cast it out, see that it does not return. It is every bit as dangerous as desire. When you think there is no danger, you may slide back into it without notice.
You may say, "Indeed, but I credit all I have to God."
You may do so and be proud nevertheless. For it is pride not only to credit anything we have to ourselves, but to think we have what we really do not have. For example,
Mr. L— credited all the light he had to God, and so far he was humble. But then he thought he had more light than any man living. This was palpable pride. So you credit all the knowledge you have to God and, in this respect, you
Mr. Morgan: James Morgan, one of Wesley's preachers who was associated with Thomas Maxfield are humble. But if you think you have more than you really have, or if you think you are so knowledgeable of God as to no longer need human teaching, then pride is at the door. Yes, you need to be taught, not only by Mr.
Morgan, one another, Mr. Maxfield, or me, but by the weakest preacher in London, yes, by all people. For God sends to us those whom God chooses to send.
Mr. Maxfield: Thomas Maxfield, a Methodist known for his fanatical teaching and preaching on Christian perfection. Wesley tried on many occasions to correct him but to no avail. Maxfield was also the first Methodist layman to preach. Wesley Therefore, do not say to any who would advise or correct you, "You are blind. You cannot teach me." Do not say, "This is your wisdom, your human reason."
But calmly discern the thing in the presence of God. at first objected but relented when his mother, Susanna, interceded_ on Maxfield's behalf.
Always remember that much grace does not imply much light. These do not always go together. As there may be much light where there is but little love, so there may be much love where there is little light. The heart has more heat than the eye, and yet it cannot see. God has wisely assembled the members of the body together such that none may say to another, "I have no need of you."'
To imagine that none can teach you but those who are themselves saved from sin is a very great and dangerous mistake. Do not entertain that thought for a moment. It would lead you into a thousand other mistakes from which you may never recover. No, supremacy is not founded in grace, as the madmen of the last age talked.
Obey and respect "those ... who have charge of you in the Lord,"? and do not think you know better than they.
Know their place and your own. Always remember that much love does not imply much light.
Neglecting to observe this has led some into many mistakes and into the appearance, at least, of pride. Beware of the appearance of pride and of pride itself! Let there
"be in you that lowly mind which was in Christ Jesus."* And "clothe yourselves with humility."* Let it not only fill you but cover you all over. Let modesty appear in all your words and actions. Let all you speak and do show that you are small, humble, and common in your own eyes.
As an example of this, always be ready to own any mistake for which you are responsible. If you have at any time thought, spoken, or acted wrong, do not deny or dodge your responsibility. Never dream that such an admission will hurt the cause of God. Rather, it will further it. Therefore, be open and frank when you are accused of anything. Do not seek either to evade or disguise it. Let it appear just as it is, and you will not hinder, but beautify, the gospel.
O might our every work and word Express the tempers of our Lord, The nature of our Head above; His Spirit send into our hearts, Engraving on our inmost parts The living law of holiest love.
Then shall we do, with pure delight, Whate'er is pleasing in thy sight, As vessels of thy richest grace; And having thy whole counsel done, To thee, and thy coequal Son, . 33. What is the second advice you would give those who have fallen from grace?
. Beware of that child of pride, enthusiasm. Have nothing Ascribe the everlasting praise. to do with it! Leave no room for an undisciplined imagination. Do not hastily attribute things to God. Do not Collection, #426, stanza 2 easily believe that dreams, voices, impressions, visions, or revelations are from God. They may be from God. They may be from nature. They may be from the devil. Therefore, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God."* Test all things by the written word, and let all bow down before it. You are in danger of enthusiasm every hour if you depart at all from Scripture, or from the plain, literal meaning of any text read within its context. You are in danger if you despise or disregard reason, knowledge, or human learning. Every one of these is an excellent gift of God and may serve the noblest purposes.
I advise you never to use the words wisdom, reason, or knowledge by way of rebuke. On the contrary, pray that you yourself may abound in them more and more. If you mean worldly wisdom, useless knowledge, or false reasoning, then say so. Throw away the chaff, but not the wheat.
One general entrance to enthusiasm is expecting the end without the means. For example:
expecting knowledge without searching the Scriptures and consulting the children of God; * expecting spiritual strength without constant prayer and steady watchfulness; ¢ expecting any blessing without hearing the word of God at every Opportunity.
Some have been ignorant of this device of Satan. They have abandoned searching the Scriptures. They said,
"God writes all the Scriptures on my heart. Therefore, I don't need to read them." Others thought they no longer needed to hear the word of God and so grew lax in
attending the morning preaching services. O take warning! You have listened to the voice of a stranger. Fly back to Christ and follow in the good old way, which was
"once delivered to the saints"® the way that even the unbelieving bore testimony "that the Christians rose early every day to sing hymns to Christ as God."
The very desire for "growing in grace" may sometimes be a door for enthusiasm to let itself into the heart.
Because it constantly leads us to seek new grace, it may lead us unwittingly to seek something else new besides new measures of love of God and neighbor. Therefore, it has led some to seek and believe that they have received gifts of a new kind, after a new heart, such as (1) loving God with all our mind By faith we are come To our permanent home; By hope we the rapture improve; 2) loving God with all our soul 3) loving God with all our strength ( ( (4) oneness with God By love we still rise, (5) oneness with Christ (6) having our life hid with Christ in God
And look down on the skies, (7) being dead with Christ For the heaven of heavens is love.
(8) rising with Christ :
Collection, #486, stanza 3 (9) sitting with Christ in heavenly places (10) being taken up into Christ's throne
(11) being in the New Jerusalem (12) seeing the tabernacle of God come down among the people (13) being dead to all works (14) not being subject to death, pain, grief, or temptation
One reason for many of these mistakes is taking every new, strong application of any of these Scriptures to heart and believing them to be a new kind of gift. Those who do so do not know that several of these Scriptures are not fulfilled yet. They do not know that most of the others are fulfilled when we are justified, and the rest are fulfilled the moment we are sanctified. It remains only to experience them in higher degrees. This is all we have to expect.
Another reason for these, and a thousand mistakes, is not considering deeply that love is the highest gift of God: humble, gentle, patient love. All visions, revelations, manifestations, whatever, are small things compared to love.
All the gifts mentioned above are either the same with, or infinitely inferior to, love.
It is important that you thoroughly understand this— "the heaven of heavens is love." There is nothing higher in religion. There is, in effect, nothing else. If you look for anything but more love, you are looking wide of the mark and getting out of the royal way. And when you are asking others, "Have you received this or that blessing?" if you mean anything but more love, you mean wrong. You are leading them out of the way and putting them upon a false path. Settle it then in your heart that from the moment God has saved you from all sin you are to strive for nothing more than more of the love described in